Cast Iron Jalapeno-Cheddar Corn Bread

Baking corn bread in a seasoned cast iron frying pan helps develop a deeply golden crust.  This Mexican-inspired version is enlivened with spicy chiles, sharp Cheddar cheese and sweet corn kernals.

For this recipe you will need to use a 10" cast iron skillet as you will have to put it in the oven.

Ingredients:

1 T unsalted butter

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

2 T packed light brown sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

3 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup fresh or thawed, frozen corn kernals

2 jalapeno chiles, seeded

and finely chopped

*I had canned, sliced jalapenos so I just chopped those up to about 1/2 - 2/3 cup*

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Coat a 10" frying pan with the butter, set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and olive oil.  Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir to blend.  

Add the corn kernels, the chiles and 1 cup of the cheese and stir to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared frying pan and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake until the bread has risen and the golden on top, 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cook in the pan for 5 minutes.  Cut into wedges and serve right away.

This recipe is so good!!  It's even good after it has been sitting in the fridge overnight.  When I put some in Colin's lunch the next day, he told me "smaller piece next time, that was a meal in itself!"  I guess I just got over-zealous :)

enjoy!!

Cast-Iron Paella

This is a recipe that is wonderful if you only want to dirty one dish :)  It's made for a 10.5" cast iron skillet but you might be able to pull it off with a non-stick skillet.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil

15 medium shrimp,
 shells intact

2 chorizo sausages, sliced
(my store didn't have chorizo so I used italian sausage and made it into little "patties")

2 cloves garlic, 
finely chopped

1 yellow onion, 
finely chopped

4 tomatoes, 
chopped

1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
or 2 jarred piquillo peppers

1 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp saffron threads soaked in 1/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups paella rice (bomba)

1 cup fresh parsley

In a 10 inch frying pan, over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.  Add the shrip and saute until pink, 3-5 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add the chorizo to the pan and cook until brown and crispy, 4-5 minutes.  Transfer to the bowl with the shrimp

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan.  Add the garlic and onion and saute until soft and golden brown, 3-4 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, peppers and paprika.  Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture has thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated.  About 5 minutes.

In a small saucepan, bring the broth and saffron mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.

Stir the rice into the tomato mixture and cook for 2 minutes.  Pour the simmering broth mixture over the rice, stir well, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer without stirring until the liquid is absorbed by the rice, 8-10 minutes.

Add the shrimp and chorizo and push them down into the rice.  Cover the pan with foil and cook until the shrimp and chorizo are cooked through and the rice is cooked, about 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the paella stand for 5 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle with chopped parsley.  Garnish with lemon wedges if you wish.

enjoy!

Homemade Pancake Syrup

So I went to make pancakes the other morning for myself and Colin and I quickly realized...I don't have any syrup.  Crap.  So I look in our pantry, lo and behold we have all the ingredients necessary to make syrup from scratch!  I am thinking this is really going to come in handy over the years since I like the good syrup, the expensive stuff...like $8 or more for a bottle of syrup at the grocery store.  Also, since the nearest grocery store is 2 hours away...this will probably save me some time and money.


Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar (or raw)
1 tsp vanilla or maple extract

Place all ingredients into medium saucepan and simmer until all sugar is dissolved.  Stir frequently so it doesn't bubble and burn.  

Pour into glass container.  

(we have a habit of re-using our old glass jars, just for an occasion such as this)

OR...if you have a clean, empty plastic squeeze bottle, that would probably work better.  When it it cooled down enough, put in the refrigerator.  

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Layered Tacos

• So last night I made this recipe for Colin and myself.  I was a little nervous at how it would turn out, but to my surprise it was a HUGE hit!  Colin loved it!  I was super excited about it so I had to have a bowl.  Holy crap.  I am so making this again the next time I have company over!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 can (16 ounces) pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) tri-bean blend (kidney, pinto and black), rinsed and drained
• 1 can (10 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes , undrained
• 1/3 cup water
• **NOTE
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• **IF YOU DON'T HAVE THESE SPICES ON HAND OR JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE BUYING A WHOLE JAR JUST FOR THIS RECIPE, A PACKET OF MCCORMICK TACO SEASONING WILL WORK**
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 flour tortillas (6 inches)

In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender; drain.

 Add the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Combine cheeses

(sorry I didn't get a picture of the in process cooking)

In a slow cooker, layer about 3/4 cup beef mixture

(the steam effect was unintentional, but it looks badass)

 about 1/3 cup cheese

one tortilla

Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until heated through.

Hope you enjoy!  I know we certainly did!

Dads Pot Roast

So I haven't written in a few days because Colin has been home from work :) So just a quick recap...

1) I drove a manual transmission for the first time in 6 years, in the snow and.....I didn't kill it once. Boom.

2) I got to go on my first snow machine ride since I have been up to Alaska.  It was so much fun!!!I am so happy that we have one!  Downside...didn't have any snow pants, which can be a problem.  Colin was very kind and offered me to wear his snow pants.  Now we may be about 1" apart in height...but I have hips.  Luckily for Colin, he does not.  Needless to say, I went out in jeans.  Very cold.  Very wet and cold.  Especially when I fell off the snow machine into more snow.  All in all I had an awesome time!

3) 2 days ago we went on our weekly grocery trip 2 hours north to Fairbanks.  (yes that is the closest grocery store)  We spent all day there, well In Fairbanks not in the grocery store.  Got more dog supplies, got myself some snow pants!!! Got more gloves and another headlamp for myself.

4) I have been a cooking machine!!!  So I would like to share some of my recipes with you on this here blog.  Now, I will have to post some of the ones that I did at a later date because I forgot to take pictures :(  But I do have some to share with you now.  So here is my dad's famous pot roast recipe:

Ingredients:
3-4 All purpose potatoes (peeled and cubed)
4-5 carrots (peeled and cubed)
1 packet Onion Soup Mix
3/4 cup water
1 lb chuck roast
crock pot

Peel and dice carrots and potatoes place in bottom of crock pot

heat up skillet and brown chuck roast on all sides 

Place browned roast on top of vegetables

Mix onion soup mix into 3/4 cup water

 Pour onion mix over the top of the roast

Place lid on crock pot and set to low.  Let the roast cook for 8-9 hours.

Once the roast and vegetables are finished cooking, you will have a little bit of liquid at the bottom of your slow cooker.  If you would like to use that as gravy (which I highly recommend) just add a little bit of flour to thicken the liquid.  About 1 spoonful at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

The roast should be tender enough to just fall apart.  Enjoy!

Off the leash

So the last few days here in my new surroundings have given my emotional stability a run for it's money.  2 days ago I put on my brand new Baffin boots and my brand new parka and ventured outside into the snow.  It was just me, Colin, Dahlia (my dog) and nature.  My god its beautiful here!

After admiring the view for a while, I shoveled Dahlia a spot in the snow off the side of the house for her to do her "business".  I am not picking up her dog poo off the deck when the snow starts to melt.  Not no way, not no how.  Meanwhile, Colin started up the snowmachine to get the old fuel burned off and I was surprised at how the noise didn't affect her at all.
We have 5 acres of property that is surrounded by Birch trees, low bush cranberries and blueberries.  I am used to city streets and wailing sirens...so when Colin suggested that we let Dahlia off the leash for the first time, I was a little more than hesitant.  Drum roll please.........she did great!  I was so proud of her!  She didn't run off, she was bounding through the snow and she actually followed us around the property.  Such a relief!
I have to say, seeing Colin play fetch with Dahlia in the snow and me all bundled up in my new gear he bought me, surrounded by silence...I started to cry.  I have never felt so comfortable with someone in my life.  I knew in that moment that this is where I am supposed to be.

Later on that day we put up our little 4 foot, artificial Christmas tree :)  Which, sitting on its stand with the tree topper, it is now taller than both Colin and I.  Not by much...but still taller.

We combined our ornaments on to our tree with multi-colored lights (which I kind of hate but am getting used to) and put on the Alaska tree topper that he made last year.  Sitting on its stand with its MacFarlane tartan tree skirt, I stepped back to take a look at the finished product.

This is the first tree I have ever shared with a significant other.

I again started to get all teary eyed.

After the tree was finished I put on some Christmas music and watched Colin put up the lights outside.

Well, when I say watched, I mean I watched him from inside the house through the windows :)  When he was finished we walked outside and down the driveway to take a look at the house in all its glory.

                                                                         ta da!

Again...tears.  Tears because this is the first home I have shared with someone who has put lights up.  Basically this is becoming the best Christmas ever and its barely December.  I am finally coming to the realization that I am an adult.  Yes, I am only 26 and I know that I am still young, but this is a big deal.  To finally be with someone who makes me feel so happy and complete.  To be with someone who likes putting up Christmas lights and a tree.  Someone who enjoys making a home together.

I think I hit the jackpot.

The Big Move

Well I should start by introducing myself, hello, my name is Amanda and I just moved to Alaska.  Yesterday I packed up my things into 4 suitcases, loaded up my dog in her carrier and flew up to Alaska with my amazing boyfriend Colin.  I was living in Western Washington for the past year when he and I reconnected and decided it would be a good idea to move me up north, to a town with a population of about 1000 people.  

Now, having only been to Alaska once, I was a little nervous but more excited than anything.  I knew that this would be an amazing adventure for me.  Not to mention, spending my life with the man I love was a huge incentive to move :)  So, he flew down to visit me about a week ago, we packed up my stuff and the dog and flew back to Fairbanks together.  I went from 56 degree weather to -2 in just a short 4 hour plane ride.

We arrived in Fairbanks and promptly went shopping as fast and furious as we could because we didn't want to leave the dog in the car too long with negative degree weather.  Went to Alaska Feed to get the dog (Dahlia) some food and new bowls because apparently I left the old ones back in Washington like a responsible pet owner.

We then drove the 2 hours south to my new home...here it is :)

There is more snow on the ground now than this picture shows.  We have about 1 foot now.  

We have a lot of plans for what we want to do with our house and property, now all I have to do is wait for the snow to melt :)